Written by Heather Cole, CEO of Lodestar Solutions, May 22nd 2025
We all know that AI boosts productivity. It automates reports. It writes emails. It summarizes meetings.It’s the dream tool for busy professionals.
But what they don’t tell you is…AI is also the funniest person in the room.
At our most recent IBM Cognos client user group, we explored how finance and analytics teams are using AI to streamline their work.Clients were impressed — we shared real examples of using AI for productivity that blew minds.
Then came the moment AI officially stole the show.
One client, half-joking, asked: “Have you ever had it roast you?” Cue the mic drop.
We put ChatGPT to the test. I gave it my backstory — 20+ years in analytics, executive coach, founder of Lodestar Solutions — and this is what it threw back:
Roast of Heather Cole
"She’s got more titles than a LinkedIn influencer and more energy than your morning espresso.”
Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Heather Cole — executive coach, tech entrepreneur, and the only person who could turn a BI dashboard into a TED Talk.
Heather’s the founder of Lodestar Solutions, which sounds like a cool AI startup but is really just her clever way of saying, “I run this place, I know what I'm doing, and if you don’t... good luck.”
She’s been coaching CFOs and CEOs for years — because after all, if you’re going to teach someone how to lead, you might as well choose the people who think they already know everything.
Heather started her tech company back when women in tech were rarer than a meeting that starts on time. But did that stop her? No. She powered through imposter syndrome, sexism, and software updates — and came out not just ahead, but hosting webinars on how to get there faster.
She now coaches leaders who want to speak with confidence, earn respect at the executive table, and stop sounding like a spreadsheet with a pulse.
Oh, and fun fact — she’s a book nerd. Which means if you tell her your life is falling apart, she’ll recommend three books, a framework, and a personalized action plan before your coffee’s even cool.
So here’s to Heather — the woman who turned self-doubt into strategy, spreadsheets into storytelling, and executives into actual leaders. If you ever feel lost… follow the Lodestar. Just know she’ll probably make you answer three reflective questions before you get there.
I mean… they’re not wrong. The analytics crowd was defeated.
AI: 1
Humans: 0
But That Was Just the Beginning...
After the roast, Lodestar Team decided to have more fun… we uploaded a short video of Gary Lafferty and me, Heather, into Opus (an AI video tool), added some quirky captions and effects, and the result had us cry-laughing. I’m not saying it’s going to the Oscars… but if there’s an AI comedy category, we’re submitting it.
Why Does This Matter?
Because AI isn’t just for productivity and dashboards.It’s for creativity. For connection. And sometimes, for completely derailing a meeting in the best way possible.
And since AI made us laugh harder than a CFO in budgeting season, we decided to lean into it.
7 Hilarious (and Surprisingly Useful) Ways to Use AI at Work and Home
- Roast Yourself (or Your Team)Input your bio and ask ChatGPT to go full Comedy Central. You’ll cry, you’ll cringe, you’ll forward it to HR.
- Write a Poem for Your PartnerRomantic? Sure. But bonus points for rhyming “Excel spreadsheet” with “date night regret.”
- Create Custom Song LyricsAsk AI to rewrite your favorite jam as a power ballad about your last team project. Suddenly, “Stairway to Power BI” is a hit.
- Build a Fake Movie Trailer Script“From the dashboards of destiny… comes Forecast Wars: The Rolling Revenues Awakens.”
- Generate a Children’s Story About Your PetUse AI to write AND illustrate “Captain Whiskers and the Month-End Close Crisis.”
- Invent a Cocktail Named After Your Job“The Analyst’s Antidote” — shaken, not filtered.
- Throw a Themed PartyAsk AI for ideas. Try “Nerds & Nachos,” “Gala of Gantt Charts,” or “Cocktails & KPIs.”
AI Isn't Just Smart—It's Hilarious
Sure, we’ll keep using AI to do the heavy lifting with:
- Dashboards & reports
- Email copy
- Meeting summaries
- Executive communications
But don’t sleep on its unexpected superpower: Making your workday actually fun.
So, What’s the Most Ridiculous Thing You’ve Asked AI to Do?
Did it write your vows? Create a rap battle between departments? Plan your kid’s birthday party with a Shakespearean theme?
I want to hear it. Drop it in the comments, shoot me a DM, or tag me on LinkedIn.
And as we roll into Memorial Day weekend, don’t just relax—play. Let AI write you a limerick. Or a roast. Or a TED Talk about your dog.
Because in the battle between AI and analytics nerds…Turns out, AI has better punchlines.
